28Dec16

The caricature of Russia's Tu-154 plane crash over the Black Sea published in
the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has nothing to do with journalism
and represents extremism, Russian Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Irina
Yarovaya said on Wednesday.

"Chalie Hebdo's caricature is beyond human morals and beyond law. This is
extremism that has nothing to do with journalism and creativity," Yarovaya told
reporters. "The artistic performance of this abomination does not cancel but
rather strengthens the essence - that this is a direct and conscious
condonement of terrorism," she added.

French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo published several caricatures
connected with Russia in its latest issue. The last issue of this year that has hit
the shops today contains caricatures of the Russian Defense Ministry's Tu-154
plane crash in Sochi and of the assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey
Andrei Karlov.

This is not the first time that Charlie Hebdo has published controversial
caricatures connected with Russia. In November 2015, the magazine published
drawings on the Russian Kogalymavia's A321 plane crash in Egypt that killed 224
people. The caricature drew sharp criticism from Russia. Reacting to the
emerging debate on the matter, the French Foreign Ministry said that the
country's leadership has nothing to do with the activities of the magazine and
that the employees of the weekly are free to express their own opinions. In
October 2016, the magazine published caricatures of the opening of the Russian
Orthodox Cultural Center in Paris.

[Source: Itar Tass, Moscow, 28Dec16]

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